Metallic socket for fence-posts



(No Model.) Y

C. A. LGUNSBE'RRY. METALLIC SQGKET EOE EENGE POSTS, m. No. 444,497. Patented Jan. 13, 1891.

B Y I r UNITED STATES ljairnivt OFFICE.

CLEMENT A. LOUNSBERRY, OF VBISllIARC/K, NORTH DAKOTA.

METALLIC SOCKET FOR FENCEPOSTS,.&C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,497, dated January 13, 1891.

Application tiled October Z1, 1890` Serial No. 368,801. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CLEMENT A. LOUNS- BERRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bismarck, in the county of Burleigh and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Sockets for Fence and other Posts, Poles, ttc.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is a metallic socketfor fence and other posts, poles, &c.; and my said invention consists of a socket formed of a triangular sheet of metal bent to shape of novel construction, as and for the purposes as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive socket for fence and other posts, poles, the., that will be durable, easy of application, and that will accomplish the desired result-that of securely holding the post in an upright position; and to this end I proceed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which drawings- Figures I and 2 represent views of the sheet-metal blank from which the socket is formed, the dotted lines in Fig. 2 indicating the position of the bends to be given to said blank when forming the socket, and Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the completed socket formed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 4 is a front elevation, and Fig. 5 a sectional edge view, of a post applied in position within my socket. Figs. and 7 represent modilicat-ions in the form of post, and Fig. S is a transverse section on the line o3 a: of Fig. 4, showing the manner of securing the socket to t-he post.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.

The letter A indicates the blank from which the socket is formed, being of sheet metal, triangular in shape, and of the requisite size and thickness for the purposes intended, being larger and heavier for large posts or telegraph-poles, house-studding, the., or proportionally smaller for light fences, the. This blank A may be cut or struck from a sheet of metal. Its sides along the lines l l are then bent at right angles to the back d to forni the sides a a of the socket. A second bend inward or parallel to the bac-k a is now given to the blank along the lines 2 2, forming the front portion a2 a2. It will thus be seen that a socket is formed the top end of which is rectangular in shape, has a pointed lower end, as at a3, sides that are parallel for about one-half of their upper portion, and have tapered lowered ends, as at 0.4, and a front formed of the triangular ends a?.

To apply the socket in position, it is simply driven into the ground, the pointed end and tapered sides and front rendering its entrance into the earth easy of accomplishment, while the square shape gives greatstrength and rigidity to the structure, and while the sidesa a and front a2 a? prevent the lateral displacement of the post the tapered lower portion of said sides a a also have a bearing against the body of earth surrounding it.

W'ith such a socket for posts it is unnecessary to dig post-holes, the sockets simply. being driven into the ground until the top edge thereof is flush with the surface of the ground, after which the end 0EG the posts B are inserted in the sockets, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3, after which by a blow with a hammer upon the points a5 of the front edges a? of the socket, causing said points to be indented into the post, as shown in Fig. 8, the operation is cour pleted and the post securely iixed in place.

In Figs. G and 7 posts having bevel ends are shown; but the square form of post is preferred as securing the best results, and the socket may be made of galvanized iron or ordinary iron coated with tar or other material before being inserted into the ground to preserve the same.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent &e., composed of a sheebmelal blank, trianguiar in shape, bent as shown along the lines l l and 2 2, forming a rectangular socket 5 having sides a a', whose front edges a4 a4 taper toward the back, front portion (12612, the front edges of which taper from the top toin a triangular-pointed end a3, as described and shown, for lche purposes specified.

CLEMENT A. LOUNSBERRY. Witnesses:

ROBERT J. JONES, ROBERT L LYON.

A socket for fence and other posts, poles, I ward the bottom, and a hack n, terminating 

